Steam generator



Nov. 27, 1945. E. J. DE COTA 'S'IEAM GENERATOR Filed July 17, 1944 Patented Nov. 27, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEAM GENERATOR Emri J. De Cota, Larkspur, Calif. Application July 17, 1944, Serial No. 545,285

. 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to steam generating devices and a, particular object of the present invention is to provide an improved steam boiler or steam generator to be used for any desired purpose but particularly for the opera-, tion of a steam engine, which is so designed as to effect a material saving in fuel over the present known types or designs of fuel generating plants.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide a steam boiler or generator whichwhen used in conjunction with a steam operated engine, functions automatically to substantially continuously use the water which after being converted into steam and employed for operating the engine, may be returned and condensed in the boiler to be reheated and vaporized, as a re- 'sult of which operation the condensate is returned to the boiler in a heated condition and does not require the use of a great amount of fuel to be again vaporized. Thus the boiler after being started can be maintained in operation at considerably less cost than would be the case if it had to be continually replenished with cold or unheated water.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic steam boiler which can be maintained in operation with a relatively small amount of excess of water as the water may be used over and over again.

The invention will b best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of the present specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to a strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but that slight changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention so long as such changes and modifications are Within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing the single figure illustrates diagrammatically a steam. generating plant constructed in accordance with the present invention and connected with a steam operated engine, the tanks or receptacles being in section.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing it will be seen that the steam generator of the present invention comprises three tanks or receptacles which are generally designated A, B9! C. V

The receptacles or tanks may be of any suitable design as, for example, the tanks A and B may be in the form of horizontally disposed cylindrical structures while the tank C may be of circular form. However, the invention is not indicated at l6.

limited to the specific form of top receptacle or the specific forms of lower tanks or receptacles here stated.

In accordance with the present invention the receptacle or lower tank A constitutes a water boiler and steam tank and is mounted in a suitable manner over a fire box ill, the specific details of construction of which are not illustrated since the design of the fire box is unimportant, any suitable fire box or means for heating the contents of the tank or boiler A being suitable.

The tank or receptacle B constitutes a water and steam tank and is supported in a suitable manner, as by the standards ll, above the boiler tank A. Extending from the top of the boiler tank A to the bottom of the water and steam tank B is the short pipe l2 which opens into the two tanks and has therein a valve l3 controlled by the stem and wheel M. In addition to the pipe l2 there is the steam transfer pipe l5 which opens through and into the top of the boiler tank A and extends upwardly through the tank B and terminates therein in the top part thereof as shown, above the water level which is The water level for the boiler tank A is indicated at l! and, as shown, this is below the bottom or inlet end of the steam transfer pipe l5 so that steam collected in the top part of the tank A may be readily transferred to the top part of the tank B through the pipe l5, when the control valve I8 is open.

The water tank or receptacle C is maintained at a suitable elevation above the top of the water and steam tank B, in a suitable manner, as by means of the standard IS and this tank C has extending downwardly from the bottom thereof the two pipes 28 and 2| which have valves 22 and 23, respectively, therein. The valve 22 'allows for the venting of air, when necessary,

from the top part of the tank B into the water receptacle C while the valve 23 controls the admission of water from the water tank into the water and steam tank B, such water being passed, when necessary, from the tank B into the tank A through the valve controlled pipe I2.

The numerals 24 and 25 designate water level gauge tubes for the tanks A and B respectively so that the engineer attending the plant may see how the water stands in the two tanks.

The water tank or receptacle C has associated therewith a condenser unit E which is here shown as mounted in the top of the tank. This condenser is conventionally illustrated as comprising an upper chamber or receptacle 38 having a filling nozzle 26 in the top thereof, and condenser tubes 39 leading downwardly from the chamber 38 into the bottom chamber 40 which discharges into the receptacle C through the pipe 4|.

Obviously this condenser need not necessarily be mounted upon or within the top of the tank C but may be located at any suitable place so long as it is at a proper elevation to cause condensate to flowtherefrom back into the tank.

Within the top of the tank C is disposed a water level indicator or gauge here illustrated as comprising a float 21 and a stem 28 connected with the float and extending upwardly through the top of the receptacle. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the use of an indicator of this character but. that any suitable type of water level indicator may be employed. The, numeral 29 generally designates an engine whichi's operated by steam from the plant, such engine here being shown as in the form of a steam. engine having conventionally illustrated the steam cylinder. 30 and the valve mechanism 3|.- which. receives steam from the steam line 32 and transfers it as required to the cylinder 33 for theoperation of the conventional piston, not shown, and the rotation of the crankshaft 33.

The steam line 32 is fed by the converging branches 33 and 34 which lead thereto respectively. from the steam containing spaces of the tanks A." and B. Each of these branches is controlled by a suitable manual valve designated 35.-for the branch 33, and 3G. for the branch 34.

The exhaust from the piston cylinder 30 of theengine is not discharged into the atmosphere butis received by the return pipe 31 which runs to the. condenser E, entering the receptacle 38 of the latter as illustrated. Thus it will be seen that the steam after leaving the engine will be cooled by flowing through the tube 39 of the condenser so as to be condensed and returned into the water tank for re-use.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that when. the steam generator is connected with an. engine such as. that illustrated, a closed system is established wherein use may be made over and. over again of the initial water charge put into theseveral receptacles. In the operation of the system the steam after leaving the tanks A andv B and expending its power in the operation of the engine 29, is returned by means of the pipe line 31. to be recondensed and discharged into the receptacle C, from which the condensate will be transferred at the necessary intervalsback to the tanks below the top receptacle, that is, first to the tank B and then to the tank A, to be again raised to the necessary temperature for the development of steam. It will be apparent, however, that since the water supply for the tanks A and B comprises condensed steam, after the system has once gotten into proper operation, very little fuel will be required to reconvert the water into steam and thus the entire plant may be operated more economically than those plants where the steam is discharged from the engine to the atmosphere and fresh cold water has to be continually added to the steam boiler.

I claim:

1. A steam generating structure of the character stated, comprising a lower tank adapted to r befilled with Water and constituting a boiler, means for heating Water in the boiler, a second tank supported above the first tank and adapted to' be partially filled with water, said second tank being closed, a third tank disposed above the second tank and having a closed filling opening in its top, a valve controlled pipe leading from the bottom of the third tank into the top of the second. tank, a valve controlled pipe leading from the bottom of the second tank into the top of the first tank,v a valve controlled steam pipe leading from the upper part of the first tank into the upper part of the second tank, a steam lead-off pipe common to the first and second tanks and connected with they upper part of each above the water level therein, and a return flow pipe leading into the third tank.

2'. A steam generating structure of the character stated, comprising a lower tank adapted to be filled with water and constituting a boiler, means for heating water in the boiler, a second tank supported upon and, directly above the first tank and designed to be partly filled with water, a valve controlled pipe leading from the bottom of. the second tank into the top of the first tank, a valve controlled steam lpipe leading from the top part of the first tank above the water level into the top part of the second tank for discharge above the water level therein, a third tank supported upon. the top of the second tank and con.- stituting a water supply source, a valve controlled pipe. leading from the bottom of the third tank into the top of the second tank, an air-cooled condenser unit supported upon the top of the third tank and having an outlet leading downwardly into the third tank, the condenser unit having a steam return pipe leading into the top part thereof, and a valve controlled steam outlet pipe leading from the top part of each of the first and second tanks to a common lead-off pipe.

EMRI J. DE COTA. 

